Atondido Stories
he took the bowl of milk, went to the ant-hill, and praised the
serpent with a loud voice. After a long, long time the serpent ap-
peared, but only with its head out of the opening of the ant-hill,
and spoke to the Brahman: "'Tis greed that brings you here, and
makes you even forget the loss of your son. From this time for-
ward friendship between us is impossible. Your son struck me in
youthful ignorance, and I have bitten him to death. How can I
forget the blow with the cudgel? And how can you forget the
pain and grief at the loss of your son?" So speaking, it gave the
Brahman a costly pearl and disappeared. But before it went
away it said: "Come back no more." The Brahman took the pearl,
and went back home, cursing the folly of his son.
476